Each council member must select a stance, a general attitude on how the realm should be governed. This stance usually determines how the AI votes on laws, and completely determines how all council members vote on interactions.

Highly supportive voters may be Loyalist

Most voters will select one of three “neutral” stances: Pragmatist , Glory Hound , or Zealot

Highly unsupportive voters may be Malcontent

AI characters select their stance based on their traits, size/power, and relations with their liege.

Stance

In-game description

+Modifiers

-Modifiers

Loyalist

A Loyalist councilor will generally be a faithful servant to the ruler. They will support their liege in all actions except those that will directly decrease their own power.

A Pragmatist councilor will always aim for the path of least resistance when it comes to strengthening the realm and gaining power for themselves. They are inclined to support wars for reclaiming of de-jure land or provinces with the ruler's culture. They might also support wars against weak opponents. This councilor will oppose the creation of other strong vassals in the realm and will support the revoking of titles from already powerful vassals.

30 base

+10 Cynical

+10 Craven

+10 Just

+10 Paranoid

(20a + 100s)

-10 Content

-10 Arbitrary

-10 Slothful

-10 Greedy

-50 Zealous

Glory Hound

A Glory Hound councilor will always push for the realm to make prestigious advances for glory. They will oppose attacking weak neighbours, but against more powerful opponents they will not care much for the reason of the war as long as it will strengthen the realm. This councilor also prefers a strong and centralized realm.

30 base

+10 Brave

+10 Honest

+10 Proud

(15a + 100p)

-50 Craven

-10 Shy

-10 Humble

-10 Content

Zealot

A Zealot councilor will strive towards bringing religion to the forefront of the realm's political agenda. If religious war targets are available this councilor might oppose wars against other targets. The councilor will also be more inclined to accept hostile action against heathen and heretic characters.

A Malcontent councilor is unhappy with the current state of affairs in the realm. They are a troublesome force on the council and will always oppose the will of the ruler unless they directly stand to gain power.

AI characters select the stance with the highest score. Note that appointing someone may change their scores, because the very act of appointing them can shift opinion and the size of vassal levies!

Not listed above are that horses are always loyalists, and that vassal khans under the greatest_of_khans are usually loyalists. Generally, the characters most likely to be loyalists are those with high opinion and the Content trait.

Votes on interactions, such as declarations of war, are immediate and determined by fixed rules called patterns. This allows the liege to proceed without waiting, reduces uncertainty, and prevents a proliferation of popups for vassals.

Voting patterns are evaluated in order until one of them matches a yes or no: selfish pattern , family pattern , stance pattern , and opinion pattern. Within each pattern, "for" reasons are usually more important than "against" reasons. If none of these patterns suggests a "for" or "against" vote, they will be swayed by the diplomacy skill of voters who care.

The liege can override "no" votes on interactions. However, acting against the will of the council is considered an act of tyranny, and also makes the council discontent. During a regency, it is impossible to overrule the council and the ruler does not even get a vote.

Pragmatist and Glory Hound councilors have nearly opposite goals. Pragmatists generally support attacking weak enemies, while glory hounds generally support attacking strong enemies. Allies are included in their strength calculations. When each side in the war would have similar strength, they consider other factors.

A Zealot will almost always support attacking targets of other religions. They will also support wars within the religion if there is a strong religious motivation for the war and no ongoing crusade.

Pattern

Vote

Tooltip

Notes

Me

for

?

When the council member initiated the vote?

Selfish

for

I would gain a title!

Selfish

against

I would lose a title!

???

Family

for

My family member would gain a title!

"Gainer" (e.g. claimant?) is close relative

Family

against

This war is against one of my family members

Defender is close relative

Family

against

My family member would lose a title!

Contested title is held by a close relative

Loyalist

for

This voter is a Loyalist and will vote like the liege

Liege initiated the vote

Loyalist

against

-

Liege did not initiate the vote (someone is trying to use a favor to force the liege to press their claim)

Pragmatist

against

We're already busy fighting another war

Primary participant

Pragmatist

for

The opponent is much weaker than us

Attacker power ≥ 1.3The CB is NOT claim for other (worried that such a war would make another vassal too powerful?)

Pragmatist

for

The targeted land is part of our De Jure territory or it is of our Culture Group

Attacker power ≥ 0.8Any county (controlled by the defender within the contested title) is of our culture group or a de jure part of any of the attacker's titles

Pragmatist

against

The opponent is too strong for us to take on

Attacker power < 1.0

Glory Hound

for

The opponent is stronger than us, this war will be glorious!

Defender power ≥ 0.9

Glory Hound

for

This is my preferred war target!

?

Glory Hound

for

Winning this war will grow the realm!

Attacker power < 3.0When pressing the claim of a courtier who would need land to remain your vassal, a Glory Hound expects you to give the courtier land before declaring war. As if you'd forget.

It is often possible to avoid having to buy favors by finding new council members with the correct stance for the action you want to take.

Try to have at least half of your council be Loyalist or cheap to buy favors from. Baron-level characters are the cheapest at 40g+. Courtiers require 80g, but you can often get their money back (inheritance if they have no family; banishment if they abuse their office).

Avoid letting your council members hold favors on you, unless you have (or will soon) have absolutism. They will often use their favors to start votes to increase council power.

If a council member gains a favor on you, you may wish to fire them from the council. You can also use the Buy Favor interaction to "buy back" the favor, but opinion must be high: "- I have better use for the favor"